Exchange of Fates
by lonelypencilcollection
Summary: The Goddess gives Genesis a mission to complete after humanity has been extinguished, one his heart will not allow him to complete. So, in his first act of defiance against his Goddess he seeks out the assistance of the only other man left alive; Vincent Valentine. He leaves Vincent in charge of accomplishing his only wish: save Sephiroth.
1. Chapter 1

He knew it would happen eventually. He just didn't think it would be so soon. But, he supposed, the planet just couldn't take anymore. The life of its inhabitants eventually drained the planet's resources, and it gave way to the natural disasters that eventually killed off all of those said inhabitants. It had been 152 years since Vincent had defeated Omega; they thought the planet was then safe, but humans are stupid. Even with Vincent and his comrades' efforts, eventually people's greed outweighed the good in the world. Although the Lifestream was safe, people continued to take the rest of the planet's resources for their own. The water dried up, the forests fell, the air became polluted and hard to breathe. With the passage of time all life gave way as Vincent watched unable to stop what was happening and unable to follow the dead to peace. It all passed before his crimson eyes, nearly an unperceivable change in the planet become grotesquely obvious when the planet itself began to destroy the life it housed.

Scholars had referred to it once in theory as Armageddon, Vincent figured it was a fitting name for the tragedy that occurred. It began with earthquakes that uprooted the plant-life while destroying towns, homes, families, lives. At the beginning Vincent didn't think it was strange as he and the decedents of his original comrades fought through the disasters, trying to save those they could. But it became clear that the planet no longer cared for its previously named heroes. As floods, draughts, fires, storms, and quakes continued to plague the people and animals of the world one by one Vincent's compatriots also fell trying to preserve the lives of others. But death would not take him, would not give him rest. As every time he was injured Chaos would preserve him; immortality; the curse that keeps on giving. Till only he was left, or so he thought.

That was, until today. What day it was, he didn't know. What year it was, he didn't care. He didn't exactly have anywhere he needed to be. It was a flurry of movement that caught his unfocused gaze, a passing patch of moving shade. It unsettled him, who had been so deeply entrapped in his thoughts he hadn't kept track of the time that passed him by. He had become situated in the dead forest of the forgotten ruins where the bodies of dead trees still stood decaying slowly back into the earth. The sound of wind being created by another being moving swiftly resounded in his ears and ebony feathers some longer than others fell from the sky. He stood drawing Cerberus, unsure of what the movement could be caused by or if it meant him harm.

He appeared then a figure clad in red, though brighter than Vincent's own hue, unbalanced with a crooked black wing attached to his shoulder. Through a curtain of copper hair the figure turned his head slightly to look curiously at him with a mako blue eye resembling a clear sky. The figure then took off in the opposite direction than Vincent occupied moving at a speed normal humans couldn't follow, but Vincent could. He began to chase the figure as it wound its way through the decaying forest, easily moving with an outspoken grace. Vincent could easily follow the figure, and it seemed to him as though it wanted him to follow. He couldn't complain, at this point even he who enjoyed solitude deeply, was craving the presence of another living being. The forest gave way to a clearing with a small tunnel leading deep underground. It was here that Vincent paused when the figure plunged into the darkness. From his time under the Shinra Mansion, Vincent had kept with him an uneasiness of underground places and tried to avoid them. Chaos mocked him within the confines of his mind raging in impatience at Vincent's hesitance. Vincent breathed a calming breath and, keeping Cerberus at the ready, eased into the passage.

It wasn't long before Vincent came to a lit room with sparse but comfortable appearing furniture. The man was there sitting in an armchair. He had his hand clasped gently in his lap, his legs crossed, his wing was unfurled making him appear harmless but his keen gaze gave away his intelligence. Vincent didn't doubt that the man was more than capable of defending himself should he need to. But, as the man's red sword lay carefully on a table a fair distance from the man, his companion seemed to want to avoid any confrontation with Vincent. Vincent holstered Cerberus, crossed his arms and leaned against the nearest was. It was the way he was used to standing, especially in the presence of other people.

"Who are you?" Vincent asked, he grave voice giving away no emotion.

At this the man smiled and his eyes lit up with a gentle glow as he leaned forward and met Vincent's eyes evenly. "My name is Genesis Raphsodos. You wouldn't know me, but I used to be a SOLDIER a very long time ago. I wasn't acquainted much with Cloud, but Zack knew me though not during the most flattering time of my life."

"Zack." Vincent spoke the name almost like a question. "The SOLDIER who gave Cloud the buster sword, whose memories Cloud confused with his own."

"Yes," Genesis' eyes took on a wistful appearance as he elaborated. "Though Zack inherited it from a good friend of mine, himself. I'm guessing you're wondering how I'm alive." Vincent remained silent waiting for the man to continue. "Around 150 years ago I awoke from a slumber after you defeated my brothers Nero and Weiss." As Vincent tensed Genesis added, "Do not worry, I bear you no ill will, they were not in control of themselves and threatened the planet, you were right in your actions. As I was saying, I awoke from my slumber to find that the Goddess had made me immortal; that is how I am here today. The Goddess made me this way to complete a certain task she entrusted me with today," Genesis paused deep lines appearing on his forehead as a solemn frown painted his face he looked down as if distracted, but he recomposed himself and continued, "that's the reason I sought you out."

"Why do you need my help?" Vincent interrupted being unsettled with the idea of helping the very Goddess that destroyed the life she was supposed to protect.

"Because I cannot do what the Goddess asks of me." Vincent's interest was piqued at this statement. "She asks me to take the life of the person I care about most. I guess that doesn't make much sense with no one else but us alive," Genesis proposed with a smirk. "With the gift of immortality the Goddess entrusted me with a great amount of power, with it she expects me to travel back in time and murder that most important person before he's even born, to prevent this future from taking place."

"So you want me to do it for you?" Vincent asked failing to see the connection between himself and Genesis' quest.

"No," Genesis growled harshly at which Vincent could feel the temperature rise in the room. Genesis regained his control, "Sorry, that's not what I want. I want him to live even if that's not what the Goddess wants. The planet hates him and wants him dead because he's dangerous and different, but he can't help what he is."

Vincent's eyes widened slightly, "You don't mean."

"Yes, I do. The person I'm supposed to kill before he can be born is Sephiroth." Genesis's words hung in the air his musical voice laden with misery and sadness. He tore his eyes away from Vincent and focused on the floor. "It wasn't his fault. Sephiroth wasn't always mad, and Jenova had help eating away at his sanity." Guilt weighed heavily on Genesis, but he knew that it needed to be said. "When I was in SOLDIER my friend and I were close to Seph as the only other two first class SOILDERs, before Zack of course. Angeal and I befriended Seph, although it was difficult after all he'd been through being raised by Hojo in the lab. But then I ruined everything. I got sick; and as my body and mind fell apart, I blamed everyone and everything close to me. Angeal forced Zack to kill him because I told him hateful things until he couldn't live with it anymore. And I told Seph about his origins in the worst way possible causing him to collapse into madness where Jenova was waiting. I destroyed the two people who cared about me most, who were most precious to me. I can't kill him. I can't let him die when what happened was my fault. And I can't put the Goddess above him, not again."

Vincent was shocked, would be an understatement, though Genesis couldn't tell. His expression was as stony and solid as it had been always. Vincent though was running through all the information in his mind. He had always believed that it was Hojo's fault and Jenova's fault for what happened to Sephiroth, though that hadn't made fighting him any easier. And here was a person who knew the real Sephiroth, the one Vincent personally had always wanted to meet; Lucretia's son. Vincent could understand why Genesis felt guilt though he felt so though it wasn't fair that Genesis seemed to be putting all of the blame on himself and none of the true villains. So he asked the one question he felt needed to be asked.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

Genesis paused, "I want to save him. I want him to be happy, but I can't do it alone. If I go against the Goddess' will, she will try everything to stop me even if the planet is in this terrible state. So, I have to send someone else back instead, so that if she destroys me, Seph could still be saved. I want you to travel back in time in my place and save Seph from his fate."

"Why me?" Vincent asked simply curious. "I helped Cloud defeat Sephiroth, why would you trust me to protect him."

"Because you loved Sephiroth's human mother Lucretia and also," Genesis rose to pick up a small manila folder on the desk and hand it to Vincent, "because of this." Vincent opened the folder to find chromosome maps of himself, Lucretia, Hojo, and Sephiroth. "Neither you nor Seph were told the whole truth. Both of you thought that Hojo was Sephiroth's genetic father, but, according to these, the only chromosomes they share are the ones related to gender. At the same time when you compare Sephiroth's chromosomes with your own half of them match."

"This means," Vincent broke off not really believing the words he was hearing even if the evidence was right in front of him.

"Yes," Genesis stated, "you are Sephiroth's biological father not Hojo."

"Why, why would Hojo lie about being Sephiroth's father? And why didn't Lucretia tell me?" Vincent spoke so quietly his voice was barely a whisper. He didn't understand.

"Because Hojo didn't want everyone to know his wife had an affair. Also it's possible that Lucretia didn't know that you were the father herself." Genesis guessed.

"It doesn't change anything, even if I did go back in time, what would I do then? I was asleep when Sephiroth was still sane. I wouldn't be able to change anything regardless." Vincent argued.

"I might be able to change that. When I send you back you'll be replacing the "you" that existed in the past since there can't be two of you, because of this is can make it so that you'll wake up prematurely and still have the experiences that you have now, although your body will be the same that it was then." Genesis proposed.

Vincent was silent. The information was too much to process. He and Lucretia had a child together. He had always known it was a possibility, but when Cloud had told him Sephiroth was fathered by Hojo there had been no reason to doubt the claim. Hojo and Lucretia were married after all. Now that there was proof to the contrary, Vincent found the truth to be fairly painful. In the end, he'd unknowingly helped send his own son back to the life-stream. The knowledge unsettled him.

"It wasn't your fault, you couldn't have known, and there's only one thing that we can do now." Genesis said prompting Vincent to meet his gaze evenly. "We've all made mistakes and if this opportunity isn't used correctly there's no telling if there will be another."

Vincent nodded while chaos stirred within his mind rampant at the idea of rebelling against the goddess and fate itself. Even demons don't like being deceived.

"Very well, unfortunately I can only send you back through time after that I'll be unable to help you. Vincent, I know and trust that you'll protect him this time, now that you know the truth. Just remember that Seph won't just need help against people physically; you have to find a way to keep his mind from Jenova as well." Genesis explained.

"Will you die?" Vincent asked, his deep voice reminding Genesis of the man's son and the childlike manner he asked things. He was always blunt, direct, and innocent in a way.

"Yes." Genesis answered determined. "The goddess will not be happy with my disobedience and I have no doubt that she will kill me for it. The only reason she hasn't yet is because I've managed to cut her off from my thoughts and actions because of her weakened state." Genesis paused and smiled, he felt at peace with what was going to happen.

Vincent set his gaze to the floor. He didn't like the sacrifice that had to take place but he understood it. "To when will I be sent back to?"

"I'll be sending you back to when Seph was nine years old and still being raised within Shinra Manor. That way when you wake up you'll already be in the perfect position to rescue him and he can take well enough care of himself without hindering you. You will take place of your counterpart that exists there and will wake up prematurely in your coffin. Your body however will remain as it is now since you're traveling through time and not just becoming conscious in that time. After that you'll have to fight your way through the manor, locate Seph, rescue him, and escape." Genesis explained. "After that, everything else is for you to decide although I do suggest you eventually tell Seph of his heritage; all of it. He'll need to know if he's going to defend himself from Jenova."

"When do I leave?" Vincent asked. He'd been trained only to ask about what he needed to know the basics to complete his mission. Somehow he thought this mission would be very complicated, much more so than Genesis was making it seem. Though, Genesis knew this as well.

"Tomorrow morning, that will give us time to prepare and rest. I'm sure you know the manor well enough, but it doesn't hurt to revisit the schematics. I found them and have kept them safe until now." Genesis gestured to a pile of documents. "Shall we begin?"


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was merely peaking over the horizon when the two crimson clad men awoke, though neither had really gotten much sleep to begin with. Genesis had been too tense and nervous while Vincent had been troubled with the task that was to come. Neither man talked much, since they'd already planned everything last night and neither of them were much for conversation at the moment. The place had an eerie feeling about it as calm before a storm.

"It's time." Genesis said as the two finished preparations. He led Vincent further into the underground to a room covered in wires and furnished with nothing besides a metal stand almost like a small table or a trophy case. On said stand shined a large orb of materia casting a bright blue light over the room seeming both creepy and soothing.

"Are you sure about this?" Vincent couldn't refrain from asking as the copper haired man as he approached the material.

A chuckle answered him as Genesis faced him once more. "More than anything else in my life."

Vincent slightly nodded in acknowledgement. Genesis turned back and took the materia into his hands, it responded happily as its light intensified at his touch. Vincent could sense the energy collecting in the room that caused goose bumps to rise on his skin. Time seemed to briefly pause as Genesis spoke softly his voice seeming haunting and poetic reverberating in the energy filled space.

"I'm sorry Goddess, but I realize now that the greatest gift you gave to humanity was free will; so that they could disobey you."

Vincent swore he could hear an angry scream rip through the compound. Chaos informed him that the Goddess was livid over Genesis betrayal. Vincent could see Genesis smirk and it made him want to do the same. Genesis activated the materia as the Lifestream started to tear up through the ground to stop his actions. The materia expanded into a large circular portal in front of Genesis and as he spoke a spell and had to commit all of his focus into the materia he couldn't protect himself as the Lifestream started to attack him. Vincent was also dealing with the attacks of the Lifestream, but he was able to avoid him with his speed.

Genesis bore the attacks the Lifestream pelted him with as it sliced through him again and again leaving him with large bleeding wound that tried to heal themselves as new wounds appeared. The Lifestream tore at Genesis' warped wing which had wrapped itself around him as a shield, and cut chucks of flesh and feathers from the appendage. Genesis could only grit his teeth a bear with the pain as the area close to him was painted red with his blood. Another slash cut deeply into his side catching and ripping open his lung making him cough up the blood that then poured into the organ. Still the last word was spoken wetly through the obstructive viscous liquid and a portal of bring white and blue light stabilized.

"Vincent," Genesis yelled grabbing the sharpshooter's attention.

Vincent gave a small nod as a reply before racing toward the portal while still being plagued by the Lifestream's interference. He couldn't help but notice how much damage the redhead had endured as he watched him take a knee. He knew without a doubt that the redhead would be dying today, at first he'd wanted to believe that he wouldn't, but that had be hopefully naïve. He looked at the man he'd only met yesterday with pity in his eye. Genesis looked up and smiled.

"Save him," He said in a garbled whisper.

Vincent nodded once more solemnly and with determination as he entered the portal. He couldn't help but worry that he still wasn't precisely qualified for the mission he was undertaking.

…

A few minutes passed before the portal closed behind Vincent's figure and the Lifestream stopped its onslaught as Genesis had stopped regenerating and lay where he'd fallen bleeding and broken with a smile on his face. The last attack had hit him very close to the heart and while he was still, unbelievably unconscious his wounds were draining the blood from him quickly. He couldn't help but feel content. Even if it had been in the last moments he'd finally managed to do at least one thing correct. He'd be able to change everything, though not directly. The one he loved the most would safe, and that was all that matter to him as darkness started to cloud the edges of his vision. A voice disrupted his peace.

"_You will regret this betrayal." _The goddess spoke, "_You were my most diligent, most dedicated follower, but you let a monster lead you astray."_

"He was never the true monster," Genesis laughed, "no matter what he's done, he's still perfect. The real monsters are the ones who led him to his fate; Jenova, Hojo, Shinra, and even me."

"_You will see. It does not matter what changes in the past that __**thing**__will drag this planet and you into despair and destruction again and again. Your fate will not be unchanged by the events that will come to pass and you will wish that you'd destroyed him before he could destroy __**you.**__" _The Goddess proclaimed.

"Then let him destroy me." Genesis said with a blatancy that foretold of a spark of insanity left deep inside him. "It doesn't matter as long as he lives and can smile truly once more like he did before my illness and insanity tore his world apart."

_"__There will come a time where you will beg for my embrace, but I will remember your betrayal. You will suffer for what you've done before I allow you back into my presence." _The Goddess stated coldly.

"No, you'll see Sephirothe will change, Vincent will save him because all he has to do is stop Sephirothe from meeting me." Genesis sighed sadly. "As long as we don't meet he'll learn the truth from Vincent and be able to live with that burden happily away from the corruption from Shinra. They won't be able to hurt him and neither will I." A small collection of tears started to collect in his eyes. "I'll give up everything to make him happy this time; my devotion to you, the love that I could share with him again, and even my life"

Genesis could sense the Goddess' presence fade and his vision soon became light as the pain from the injuries his body had sustained faded with his vision. He was enveloped by white and peace. As his consciousness was beginning to fade another voice reached his ears? It was a voice his heart skipped a beat to when he would hear it. Deep and seductive; it was a voice that had haunted him in his memories of the time when he was most happy.

"That was not necessary." Sephiroth stated in a loving tone. His voice rolled over Genesis making him want to shiver, but he instead laughed.

"You're wrong." He giggled.

…

**So that was shorter than I planned it to be, but well what are you gunna do? Sorry that I haven't been updating I've been very busy hope I can update more frequently. **

**-LPC**


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